Gege grinned wide before speaking.
"I'm sure you guys must have noticed it, haven't you? He's obviously tricking you both with false wealth!"
"Hehe… I mean, how can an ordinary café worker afford a story building?"
"Café worker?" the male student muttered in a condescending tone, but his other student remained impassive.
Kyle sighed. "Café work is pretty lucrative…" he responded in a flat tone, too uninterested to fall for his provocations.
'I could take him to a store and then we'll start that whole cliché face-slapping arc…'
Kyle tiredly blinked. 'But I don't have the energy for that today.'
"What? Is that the only thing you are going to say? You won't apologize for fooling these girls… your type disgusts me."
Kyle raised a brow.
'Damn… he's really into this.'
The realtor must have thought he was some sort of big-shot detective exposing scammers with a simple glance.
'Good for him…'
Kyle pulled out his phone and started looking through roof samples.
"I could even hold a barbecue at one of these spots…" he muttered in a low voice.
Having a flat roof was not just a bonus, it was also like having a second room.
'I'll have to create an elevator that will—'
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?"
"Huh?" Kyle was snapped out of his thoughts.
Gege's face at this point was steaming red, his jaws clenched and his body vibrating like a broken generator.
Kyle glared at him. "What?"
"A-apologize! Apologize to these girls!"
Kyle glanced at his students, noticing that even they were getting uncomfortable by Gege's overexuberance.
He blinked. "Apologize for what?"
Gege's fists tightened by his sides. "Why you—?!"
Himiko suddenly stepped in between them, a sly smile on her face, her golden eyes tingling with mischief.
"It looks like we have a problem here!" she said, louder than usual, her eyes drifting to Kyle's.
'What is she doing?'
Gege frowned. "I'm just trying to expose his lie, he doesn't deserve to treat you two like fools."
Sakura slowly shook her head in embarrassment, while Himiko smirked.
"You are right, he is a liar!"
The entire room was beyond stunned.
"I mean, this is the second building, and all he has are useless excuses." Himiko pointed an accusing finger at him.
"You're actually broke, aren't you?"
'But you were the one who made me reject this place…'
Kyle could see the ghost of a smile forming on Himiko's face.
She folded, held her hands behind her back, and walked to Gege's side. "But he's a stubborn one, he'll never admit it."
Gege laughed victoriously, rubbing his cheek. "Yes, you are exactly right, this weasel will never expose the truth."
Sakura glanced at Kyle, her eyes bearing a silent question.
She had not known Himiko for long, but she knew she was acting out of character.
Kyle gave her a subtle nod. 'Allow…'
He was interested in seeing how it was going to play out.
Himiko stepped in between them. She pointed at Kyle. "You claim you have enough money to buy a house, right?"
She pointed at Gege. "And you claim he is not rich enough…"
After a second, she smiled. "Why don't we make a bet."
Kyle slowly shook his head. 'So that is her plan…'
Himiko glanced at Gege and lowered her voice so that only he could hear her, but of course, with Kyle's heightened senses, he could easily pick out their words.
"This is the only way to pull him into the mud…"
Gege smiled devilishly. "I agree, but let's set the terms."
He stepped forward. "You have to pick between the next three houses. If you don't buy one of them…"
He paused and thought about what he wanted. "Then I want you to crawl around naked in front of my students."
'Perfect!' Gege mused. 'This would prove to his students that his lectures were actually true, which will lead to more members!'
Kyle scratched his neck. "Deal… but if you lose."
He glanced around.
'What does he even have that is worth the value?'
That was when he noticed Himiko mouthing a word to him. "S- - I- -"
Kyle nearly laughed. 'I see… so this was her plan all along?'
"Alright, if I win, then I'll get to keep your Sienna."
Gege's face turned deathly pale. "No! I can't—"
"What?" Himiko glared at him. "You say he's a fraud but you can't put your car on the line?"
She rubbed her chin.
"If you aren't confident, does that mean he's actually rich—"
"I accept!" Gege growled. "There's no way I'm going to lose!"
Himiko smiled like an angel, when in secret, she was the devil's advocate. "Good good, let's go get a contract!"
•••
Kyle ended up rejecting the first two buildings for various reasons which only boosted Gege's ego.
Then they arrived at the last house and got in. The house was large and in a good district, but the best part of it was that it wasn't too far from the old café.
It was far enough to have its own customers, but close enough to create familiarity with the people.
"Not bad…" Kyle muttered as he checked the place. "Sakura, what do you think?"
She nodded with a bright smile on her face. "It's great."
"Alright, let's go check the roof…"
As they took the lead, Gege and Himiko walked slowly behind them, evil smiles plastered on their faces.
'Poor fool… you're going to be crawling naked by the end of the day.'
His budget had been 600k but Gege made sure this house was 900k! Far above it.
Even if he had been rich enough to afford it, now he would fail to do so!
"Heheheheheehe."
When Kyle finished inspecting the roof, they returned back to the bottom floor, but before he could even utter a word, Gege pulled out his phone, his camera flash already glaring.
"Strip."
"…"
Kyle stepped back, raising his hands in defense. "Sorry… I'm not into that type of stuff."
Sakura's brows creased together. "Pervert…"
"What?? No? This was for the bet!" Gege screamed.
Himiko was animated as she supported him. "Yeah, if you can't buy the house then strip! That was the deal!"
Kyle gave her a deadpan look and she winked at him.
'This girl…'
"Well, I guess I better play my part…"
Kyle grabbed his shirt, acting as though he was about to pull it off when he suddenly paused and smiled.
"Is this what you thought I would do? Hehehe."
Gege pulled out his copy of the contract. "Do you think you can get away with breaking the deal? The fine here is one million! You will go to—"
"Sakura…" Kyle called out, cutting him off.
Sakura opened her purse and pulled out the company card.
For a second, Gege was rattled. Then he shook his head…
'It's a bluff!'
He placed the portable machine in her hand and typed in the price.
~ 900k
But before they could press enter, Kyle placed his hand on the machine.
'Aha! I knew it! You fucking fraud—'
"800…" Kyle said bluntly.
'Is he… negotiating?' Gege wondered.
"Deal!" Gege quickly changed the figure to 800k. "Do you think you can fool me by pretending to negotiate—"
Ding!
[Transfer Successful.]
Sakura smiled and pulled out the card.
The students began to murmur.
"Did he just pay?" the boy asked, his eyes as wide as saucers.
"Does that mean Gege's classes were trash? He said he was poor, didn't he?"
"Damn… and he wanted us to pay for the master class."
"Let me quickly post this on the group chat…"
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Himiko burst out into what was probably the most evil villain laugh Kyle had heard in his life.
Gege's eyes widened, tears already dripping down. "Don't tell me…"
Himiko stepped in front of him and stamped her feet on the floor, stretching her hand outwards.
"Where is my f*cking Sienna?!"